Drew Brees signs $100 million, five-year deal

Brees, who broke Hall of Famer Dan Marino's single-season National Football League (NFL) record for passing yardage when he threw for 5,476 yards in 2011, confirmed the signing on his Twitter account.

Gerald Herbert/AP/File

In this Jan. 7 photo, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Detroit Lions in New Orleans.

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July 13, 2012

By Reuters

The New Orleans Saints and record-setting quarterback Drew Brees agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract, bringing some good news to a franchise that has been at the center of an off-season scandal, according to a report on NFL.com on Friday.

Brees, who broke Hall of Famer Dan Marino's single-season National Football League (NFL) record for passing yardage when he threw for 5,476 yards in 2011, confirmed the signing on his Twitter account, saying: "The Deal is Done."

The six-time Pro-Bowl quarterback's contract is worth $40 million in the first year and includes $60 million in guaranteed money, according to the report on the NFL's website, which cited a source with direct knowledge of the situation.

Brees, who joined the Saints in 2006 after spending his first five campaigns with theSan Diego Chargers, led the team to a maiden Super Bowl title in the 2009 NFL season and was named the championship game's most valuable player.

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The deal is a welcome dose of good news for a franchise that has been dogged by turmoil this year after the NFL revealed the team had a program that rewarded players with cash rewards for knocking opponents out of games.

Several coaches, current and former Saints players have been suspended as part of the investigation and the organisation was fined and stripped of draft picks.

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